"Most of my works are non-representational. There is a reference with which I begin, but then I create the work with a hope that my viewer will have their own interpretations," says Rahul Kumar, an artist from Gurugram. Titled 'Split-Confluence', his work is featured at the Exhibit320 Gallery, Lado Sarai.
Unveiled on Monday, the exhibition–Confluence–features artworks by five contemporary artists along with Kumar, who uses mediums–from clay, charcoal to sculptures on paper and wood–to provide a window into the socio-cultural narrative of the present time.
The works are on display at the gallery till February 20 and can be viewed only by appointment. "The show celebrates togetherness in these trying times. The carefully selected works explore a wide spectrum of media in a non-representational way, leaving tremendous room for engagement and interpretations," shares Rasika Kajaria, the director of Exhibit320.
Abstract strokes
Gopi Gajwani's - a painter, cartoonist, and photographer from New Delhi - work, 'Charcoal on paper' reaffirms the belief that our senses are capable of doing more than what they are assigned to do. Through his work, he attempts to engage the audience with the nuances of visual music in graphic and tonal notations.
Similarly, Kumaresan Selvaraj from Chennai provides an outlook of his experiences with nature through his works. His exhibit 'Representing altitudes through depth', made of paper and synthetic adhesive on wood, narrates the state of order and disorder that occur simultaneously in nature.
"I believe humans never allow their minds to be truly empty. The idea is to establish this in a visual form. I explore life as I experience it. When I consider a thought from my unconsciousness and focus, it eventually becomes conscious," shares Selvaraj.
Open to interpretation
Kumar prefers to base his works around the urban spaces that he inhabits. 'Split-Confluence' was created after the second wave of the pandemic, and is an extension of his thoughts, offering a mesh of overlapping elements that, according to the artist, is a contained collection of memories and emotions.
"Although the round shapes don't resemble anyone's home, for me it is like a vessel or a womb that is protective. You can always draw parallels to this–is this what we collect within our body or mind, or is this a space in our physical possession," adds Kumar.
With such abstract visuals that provide such an immense space for interpretations, the viewers have the liberty to question and at the same time come up with their own conclusions. With the theme of togetherness at the heart of the show, Kumar's works can also be visualised as a parallel to COVID-19 - offering a visual of the protective view of one’s home in comparison to the deadly virus in the world outside.